The Psychological Impact of Telework on Consumer Behavior: A Systematic Review of Social Isolation and Compensatory Digital Consumption

Context: The abrupt and sustained transition to telework, profoundly catalyzed by recent global events, has fundamentally restructured the labor environment, transforming the traditional workplace into a persistent home-office nexus. While this structural change offers gains in autonomy and operational flexibility [۴, ۳], it has simultaneously unveiled significant hidden psychological costs. Paramount among these is the erosion of organic social connectivity, leading to heightened, chronic feelings of Social Isolation.[۵, ۳] Objective: This systematic review aims to meticulously dissect the psycho-behavioral chain reaction: from the experience of chronic Social Isolation in remote settings to the emergence of specific economic coping strategies, termed Compensatory Digital Consumption (CDC). The analysis seeks to quantify the empirical nexus between the unfulfilled psychological need for Relatedness (as defined by Self-Determination Theory, SDT) [۳] and the resulting maladaptive online spending patterns.[۶] Method: Adhering strictly to the PRISMA ۲۰۲۰ framework [۷, ۳], an exhaustive, multi-database literature search was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, spanning the period of January ۲۰۲۰-May ۲۰۲۵.[۳] The search utilized robust Boolean logic designed to capture the intersection of telework, isolation, and impulsive digital consumption. Results: The synthesis of findings robustly establishes that socially isolated teleworkers frequently engage in consumption behaviors characterized by high impulsivity and digital saturation.[۸] These acts are driven by an effort to re-regulate negative affective states and temporarily fill the "social vacuum" left by the absence of workplace interaction.[۳] This often manifests as shifts toward emotionally-driven acquisitions, home aesthetics, and excessive digital subscriptions.[۳] Conclusion: The implications necessitate a paradigm shift in organizational support systems. Organizational Counselors must recognize that occupational stress is often financially externalized in the remote work context.[۳] Employee assistance programs must evolve to incorporate financial literacy and digital behavioral health interventions, recognizing CDC as a critical, measurable indicator of underlying psychological distress in the remote workforce.[۳]

کلیدواژه ها:

Telework ، Social Isolation ، Compensatory Consumption ، Systematic Review ، Digital Impulsive Buying ، self- Determination Theory (SDT) ، Relatedness ، PRISMA ۲۰۲۰